Ether
by thelittlepalmtree
Summary: A year after the events of Frozen 2 Anna and Elsa are finally feeling comfortable in their new roles. But just as Elsa notices Ahtohallan behaving strangely, Anna has some visitors from the Southern Isles. While Elsa is discovering her new powers, Anna's relationship is threatened by an ancient law. Can the sisters come together to save Arendelle?
1. Prologue

"Where the north win—"

"Oh mommy, aren't there any other stories?" Idunna rolled her eyes as she pulled her small boots off her small feet.

"But you love the story of Ahtohallan!" Her mother raised an eyebrow, patting the side of her pallet so her daughter could scoot over to her.

"I have that one almost completely memorized." Idunna said somberly as her mother began to comb out her long dark hair. Her own hair was fire-red but Idunna had her father's chocolate locks. In all else, though she was exactly like her mother. Down to her favorite story.

"Oh, memorized it have you?" She chuckled, pulling a few strands and beginning to braid.

"Uh huh. I need a new story." Idunna explained.

"Hmm…" Her mother pretended to muse. "Well there is one more verse. I'm not sure I'll remember it completely. Why don't you help me with the beginning and I'll see if I can keep going."

Idunna thought for a moment, and that was all it took for her mother to finish off the braid and tie it with a leather chord. Idunna tucked under her small blanket and finally nodded.

"Where the north wind…" Her mother continued, Idunna joining in as they sang the eerie verses.

Idunna's small voice faded as her mother's continued for a final verse

_"Where the North Wind Meets the Sea. _

_There's a power greater than memory_

_If seek here what is found _

_You'll awake this ancient sound."_

Idunna was already asleep by the time her mother hand finished. A loving hand stroked her cheek. She was likely already dreaming of dragons and princess and towers and knights. Her mother wondered how long it would be before Idunna was singing this song to her own children. Sometimes when she looked at her sleeping daughter, she could already see a young woman.

"Goodnight." She whispered, kissing the top of her head and blowing out the lantern.

Tomorrow seemed far away, so both mother and daughter slept, knowing they were safe.


	2. Unwelcome

Elsa frowned as she touched the thick wall of ice in front of her. Just two days ago this cavern had been completely open and now it seemed to be completely full of ice. Like someone had plugged it all up. But who could do that other than her? It was just another one of the strange things that had started a few weeks ago. Caverns were blocked. Walls were cracked. Strange storms would push her one way or another. She had even seen inches of water, presumably from melting walls. Was Ahtohallan broken?

"Disperse," She commanded.

Nothing.

"Let me through." She said again, this time pushing with her hand. She imagined her magic going through and forcing the ice to crack. Still nothing. If anything it felt like the temperature dropped.

"Open up!" She shouted, banging her fist on the ice. Pain immediately shot through her hand (after all it was solid ice). She cradled it to her chest, confirming she hadn't broken anything.

What was going on?

She'd been to Ahtohallan many times since discovering their connection. It never needed this much coaxing to let her into its many caverns and passages. Sure there was always a challenge, but usually it was just within her reach. She'd even felt that this place was trying to teach her something, to become stronger. Not once had she been frozen since she discovered the truth of what her Grandfather had done to the North Uldra.

"What do I have to do?" She demanded, taking a step back. She didn't know exactly who she was talking to. It was clear this place was powerful, sentient even. She had thought it was for her, but if that was true why was it acting so strange now?

"Open up!" She shouted again, this time stamping her foot on the ground. Rather than budge the ice blocking her way, the entire Cavern began to rattle like an earthquake. Elsa may not know the extent of her power, but she knew this wasn't coming from her. It was coming from Ahtohallan itself. A gust of wind began to blow into her side, pushing her back the way she'd come in.

"No, I—" She tried to keep her feet firmly on the ground but the wind was too strong. "I don't want to go home!"

Another gale burst through, this one stronger, pushing her through the entrance. Had she…upset Ahtohallan? She felt herself getting angrier and pushed her own magic against the wind. The result was a large wall of ice shielding her from the wind. "Are you serious?!" She shouted, realizing she was arguing with a _cave. _

After a moment she sighed. If Ahtohallan didn't want her, she didn't want to be here. "Fine!" She shouted again, turning on her heel. "You win." She wasn't used to defeat.

For once it had seemed like everything was going right. She and Anna were both thriving, Yelena had given her more responsibilities with the tribe, the forest welcomed her every time she stepped into it as a queen. She was finally where she was supposed to be. But then the place that was supposed to be most sacred to her, her fortress of ice and snow, was pushing her out. Why?

She found the Nok at the entrance, it's crystalline mane glittering in the afternoon sun. Normally Elsa would take a moment to watch the sunset over the North Sea, cherishing the fact that only she got this view. Today she just mounted her steed and they began to cross the water.

Why was it that even after all this time she felt like she wasn't good enough? After everything that had happened last year, she thought stepping into her power would mean _gaining_ power. She didn't even know where to start to find a solution, No one had actually seen Ahtohallan for centuries before she reopened it. Even now she was the only one who could withstand its temperatures.

The Nok stopped at the edge of the water. Elsa frowned, "Come on, let's go back to camp." She said, patting its side like she would any horse. It shook its mane, and the snow turned back into water. Elsa slipped off its back to look in its face only to see what was once ice was now completely liquid as warm as the small waves at her feet. "Really? You're going to make me walk all the way back?"

The Nok snorted.

"What do you have an important meeting?" She demanded.

The Nok snorted again.

Normally Elsa wouldn't have minded letting her companion take a break. Did elemental horses get tired? She wasn't sure but she didn't mind giving one a break if needed. But today the idea of that walk in the woods alone seemed terrible. All that time to wallow in yet another failure to find out whatever was wrong with Ahtohallan.

"Well. I guess I better get started."

She began to make her way back to camp, it was only about an hour away for her. How was it that she used to spend all her time completely alone but now an hour without companion was daunting? Anna had been the one to make all the difference.

As if on cue the small globe on her hip began to glow and made a small chirping sound. It had taken some doing, but the snow globes, as she liked to call them, could be used to communicate with each other. You had only to speak the name of the person you wanted to call. With her living in the enchanted forest and Anna in Arendelle it was a good way to keep in contact.

"I was just thinking about you." Elsa smiled as the image of her sister appeared in front of her.

Anna smiled, "You were, huh?" She was in ballroom. Elsa could see the ugly curtains they'd tried to set on fire when they were children. "Were you also thinking about the colors for my wedding?"

Elsa chuckled, "I think we should go for…blue and white." She made a few snowflakes with her hand, "Makes decorating easier."

Anna laughed, "I think some…chartreuse."

"Eww, yellow and snow?" Elsa teased.

The image swiveled a little and Elsa saw Olaf talking to someone in a stiff uniform very excitedly. His large mouth was open and moving rapidly. "At least someone is in their element."

"Do you want me to come over early?" Elsa asked, though she wasn't sure how she'd get there without her usual ride.

"No, Saturday is fine, I guess." Anna sighed. "We've got a few guests here already."

"But the wedding isn't for another month!" Elsa said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it's only a few guests, the ones from the farther kingdoms. I kind of like having the castle busy, it was never like this when we were kids." She said, sighing.

"Yeah…sorry about that." Elsa looked away. She didn't want to see the disappointment in Anna's eyes.

"Stop it," Anna said, firmly, "It's not your fault."

"Isn't it?" Elsa bit her bottom lip.

"Come on, Elsa," Anna crossed her arms, clearly her own snow globe set somewhere on the table. "What's really going on? Are you still struggling with Ahtohallan?"

It should stop surprising her how easily Anna could read her mind. "Well…"

"Uh huh!" Anna nodded her head, "That's what I thought."

"I just don't understand why this had to start now." Elsa frowned. "Why, after everything I've been through, why is Ahtohallan shutting me out?" She could feel her eyebrows coming together.

"Maybe what you need is space." Anna suggested. "You said Ahtohallan is like a person, right? Maybe it's annoyed about or scared of something and is pushing you away?"

"That's definitely a possibility. But it's a glacier, what could it be afraid of?" Elsa asked.

"Global warming?" Anna chuckled.

"I know that in a way I am Ahtohallan, the guardian of the forest." Elsa mused, "But there were stories before I was born…so there must have been someone before me."

Anna nodded; this was a common conversation between them. She had said aptly that Elsa _was _Ahtohallan, but the truth was, the stories had to come from something. "If there was someone before you, no one knows who they were." She replied, "Haven't you asked Yelena like a million times about this?"

"I've asked everyone. I love the North Uldra but sometimes I wish they had libraries and archives like we do in Arendelle." She knew she was being obtuse, but it was often impossible to know the origin of a story or song. History was passed from parent to child, not in giant tomes. There was something so pure about the stories Elsa had learned in the last few years. The heroes, the villains, the truths that lived in the forest. Unfortunately they also tended to be pretty low on the details.

"Well we can check the Library together when you visit on Saturday," Anna promised, only to turn her head. Someone clearly needed her that Elsa couldn't see. "Er—now's not really—"

"It's okay," Elsa waved her off, "Go! I'll see you soon."

"Alright well," Anna sighed, looking like she'd rather be talking to Elsa. "See you soon. I love you."

"Love you too." Elsa replied.

Back in the ballroom, Anna sighed as her sister's image shimmered and faded away. She turned her attention back to Matthias who had become her chief advisor after their return to Arendelle. "Sorry your Majesty." He said gently.

"No, it's okay. I just worry about her, you know." He did know. Everyone knew. It wasn't like Anna had a lot of time to be worrying about Elsa, being Queen was not as effortless as Elsa made it look. Especially when Anna had never been taught to be Queen. Elsa could make a decision about commerce or allies easily because she'd studied so extensively even when they were kids. Anna was pretty good at history, but math…not so much.

"I wouldn't interrupt you if it weren't important." He said, not cutting her off, but clearly not having the time for her to have another long conversation about Elsa. "You have more visitors for the Wedding."

Anna tilted her head, "Oh? Are they important?" She had had to greet the Princess of Corona personally given how important Corona was as a military and trading ally.

"They're….from the Southern Isles." Matthias had not been there when Hans tried to take over Arendelle, but in his words she could hear all of her own mistrust and fear.

"Not…" She couldn't name the person she had no desire to see. Why was she trembling? Anna had done more amazing things than defeat Hans. And yet the idea of seeing him made her want to crawl back under her covers.

"No, Prince Hans has not come. But his older brothers Johannes, August, Johannes's wife Edith, and Princess Camilla, the youngest in the family, are here." Matthias looked torn, "They say Edith is your cousin and they've come with her invitation."

Anna frowned, she'd met Edith once or twice before the gates were closed. Elsa might remember her better, but Anna only vaguely recalled a stuffy function and a dress she'd tried very hard to get out of much to her parents' chagrin. She looked back up at Matthias, "I'm guessing there's a reason we can't just turn them away?"

"You did send your cousin an invitation. And you did encourage people to bring as many guests as they wanted." He paused, "I know everything that happened, Your majesty. It makes me furious too, but part of being queen is…"

"Putting my personal feelings aside." He'd said it often enough when she was making decisions. Anna knew that the Southern Isles were growing in power, mostly because of a series of strategic marriages. King Otto also had one of the most advanced militaries in the world. Arendelle was not insignificant, but why make an enemy when she could make an ally. Anna took a deep breath, steadying herself. Hans wasn't here, "Alright," She said, "Is Lord Kristoff in the castle?"

"I've already sent for him, your Majesty, he's on his way." Matthias said, which meant he was probably in the stables and Matthias had already arranged for a bath and suit to be forced on him.

"We will greet them in the throne room. Together." She had met most of her other guests in the more intimate drawing room, wanting to make them feel completely welcomed. But now she wanted to look like an imposing Queen. Elsa would have done this well.

On her way to the throne room she checked her hair, tucking a few locks back into place. Her dress was wrinkled, and she had an ink stain on her sleeve. It certainly wasn't her most impressive dress either. Why had she agreed to cut down on her wardrobe spending? Oh right, the school. A worthy cause, although right now she wished she had a dress covered in diamonds.

"Anna!" She turned to see a tall blonde man in a well-tailored suit. She was a little embarrassed by the fact that she almost didn't recognize her own fiancé.

"Kristoff!" His name was already a salve to the situation. "You look…I mean…"

He smiled, "Normally I'd hate the monkey suit, but I figured it would help if I didn't look like a stable hand today." He rubbed the back of his neck. She knew it shouldn't make her happy, but the fact that he was as nervous as her was a relief.

"Hey," She cupped his cheek, "You could never embarrass me, okay? And you look good no matter what you wear." She stood on the balls of her feet to kiss him. He lowered his head to meet her and for a moment her heart seemed to burst with how much she loved him.

"I really hate that guy." He said, but he was smiling. Sometimes she knew exactly what he was thinking, and at this moment she knew what he really meant was he loved her.

"Me too." She smiled, "But this isn't him. It's his family, and we can't judge people based on their family."

"I mean…can't you?" Kristoff raised his eyebrow.

"Making friends not enemies." She reminded him. "After everything that happened last year, we got this." She slipped her smaller hand in his.

Anna and Kristoff took their places, her in the throne, Kristoff standing behind her, looking tall and proud. She gave his hand another squeeze before nodding to the guards to let in their guests.

The party from the Southern Isles made her blink. The two men, Johannes and August looked almost identical: slightly burlier versions of Hans. They had the same pointed features, thick eyebrows, and sideburns. It was like looking at a "spot the difference" picture she used to play with when she was a child. One had a pocket watch, the other a medal, but for the most part she felt she was seeing double.

The two women, on the other hand, looked as different as could be. One was tall with an unfortunate nose and thin blonde hair. Cousin Edith, Anna remembered now. She couldn't tell if this cousin was older or younger than her, but she had a very stern expression. Her figure was impossible to discern under layer over layer of ruffles, as if she'd asked a dress maker to pull out all the frills and been taken too literally.

The other girl was spritely, her eyes and hair were dark, but she had full lips and bold features. Her skin was a warm honeyed color, as if she had spent her days in the sun, and she wore an unembellished purple dress that faded into white at the hem. There were slits in the side revealing she had puffy trousers underneath and riding boots that would easily help her navigate any terrain. On her hips rested a belt with several bags and pouches and a small dagger. She was the only one who didn't have her nose in the air, instead she was looking around the throne room inquisitively.

"Your Majesty, Queen Anna of Arendelle." One of the brothers announced as the men bowed and the women curtsied. "I am Prince August of the Southern Isle. This is my brother Prince Johannes and his wife Princess Edith, and my sister Camilla."

Anna nodded, and at the last minute remembered to use the royal we, "We are pleased to see our cousin and her relatives from the Southern Isles." She glanced at Kristoff who, despite himself was glaring daggers at Prince August.

"I was so happy to receive the invitation to your wedding, cousin." Edith spoke, her voice seemed unpracticed as though she rarely used it. "My husband and I were so sorry to hear of your sister's abdication, is she quite well?"

It was the first time anyone had brought up Elsa's stepping away from the throne. In Arendelle it was the right move, Anna was well known and well loved by her people. Elsa's abilities were also celebrated and when they had revealed the truth of their mother's people to the public, most everyone agreed Elsa should explore those abilities. Anna had never thought about how it looked to the outside world. Abdicating the throne to run off into the woods and explore her magic. The way Edith spoke, she wondered if she wasn't being challenged.

"Our sister is very well," Anna mentally cursed that she had sent invitations out to absolutely _everyone _still alive in her family tree. "She will always have a place in Arendelle."

"How generous." Johannes—well she thought it Johannes it was hard remember which brother was which—said, his voice was so similar to Hans, Anna had to force herself not to look around the room for him.

"We of course would like to make amends for what happened following your sister's coronation." Camilla spoke up, her voice deeper than expected and kinder. Her three companions all shot looks at her, as though angry she'd brought it up. "It's good to see that Arendelle is thriving under its new Queen."

Anna frowned, Camilla sounded almost sincere, but that could easily be a trick. Was she also trying to challenge Anna's place. "We accept your apology." She said, jutting her chin out, trying to sound indifferent to these challenges. Kristoff's hand squeezed the top of her Throne.

There was a moment of silence as her guests had nothing to say and Anna wasn't sure if she should just dismiss them. Finally Camilla spoke again. "Is your sister here?"

"What?" Anna asked before she could stop herself getting defensive. "What could you possibly want with Elsa?"

Camilla held up both hands, "Uh—no, it's just," She twirled a finger and dark energy circled around her head before bursting into small rainbow sparks that dissipated before they hit the ground. "I thought we could swap notes, one magic user to another."

Anna was proud that her jaw didn't drop. She had never once thought that a princess of the Southern Isles would have magical abilities. Panic began to se in. Was Camilla their weapon against Elsa? Had they brought her in order to take Arendelle by force? "Our sister," She said, keeping her voice steady, "Is currently with the North Uldra but she will return to Arendelle shortly."

"I would love to meet her," Camilla smiled, Anna was sure she was just a bit too sincere.

Anna stood, "Please enjoy your time in Arendelle, we will be happy to see you again at dinner." It felt like a lame dismissal as she turned towards Kristoff and exited through the side door and her guests left through the main entrance.

The moment they were in the alcove, away from any prying eyes, Anna slumped against the wall. Kristoff was right behind her, his arms wrapping around her shoulders. "Oof." He said.

"Yeah," She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"You okay?" He asked, "I wish I could do something, I just felt so helpless up there and you were…wow." Anna turned to see his cheeks were red. "I mean…"

"Lord Kristoff of Arendelle!" Anna stifled a giggle, "Do you like it when I'm all—Queenly?"

Kristoff looked away, "I mean…well…I just, you know—admire your strength as a leader."

Anna did laugh this time. She and Kristoff had never gone beyond kissing, but they both wanted to. However Anna was a Queen, her "virtue" was now a matter of national importance. Much as they might want to, she and Kristoff had to wait for their wedding night for any real intimacy.

Still, it was nice to know Kristoff was as frustrated as she was sometimes. "Well _we _will have to keep that in mind." She said, trying to put on the same air as before. Kristoff rolled his eyes.

"Not as cool when you're a pipsqueak." He teased putting a large hand on her head. In a moment his playful expression turned back to concern, "I don't trust them, Anna. I know they're not…" He everything he felt for Hans hang in the air, "but they don't seem like good people."

Anna looked out the window towards Arendelle. She could see the roofs of some houses, people walking around, talking, smiling, laughing, children playing. She loved her people. She wanted to give them everything, and who else understood could? "I know. And the princess!" She shook her head. "What could they possibly want with Elsa?"

Kristoff raised an eyebrow, "She was the only one I liked. She wasn't as snooty as the others."

Anna frowned, "Why bring her if not to challenge Elsa?"

"Did you see their faces?" Kristoff countered, "They were furious that she was using magic."

"Or they were furious that she showed her cards too soon." Anna suggested. Though she had to admit she hadn't noticed what the others were doing during Camilla's display.

Kristoff shrugged, "Maybe, but she seemed like she really wanted to make up for the past." He put an arm around Anna's shoulders. "Even if you're right, what will some sparks do, Elsa is Ahtohallan, remember?"

Anna nodded, "I know Elsa could take on anything, but…I'd just feel better if we were all together."

"Why don't you call her? I'm sure if she knew what was going on, she'd be here in a flash."

"You're right," Anna pulled out her snow globe and said her sister's name.

Elsa's face shimmered into being in front of the two of them. She glanced at Kristoff and covered a smile with her hand, "Anna, Kristoff…uh, what's going on?"

Anna looked at her sister and the need to protect her arose in her chest. Now was a time for the family to stay strong.

"Elsa. We need you to come home."


	3. Dinner Guests

**_Note: Trigger warning, emotional abuse and panic attack at the beginning of the chapter. Skip the first section if you want to avoid this topic._**

_**This chapter is a lot of exposition. We're getting to cute shippy stuff soon.**_

Within the west wing chambers of Arendelle castle August leaned against the fireplace. Johannes paced angrily while his wife fussed about with the tea in the corner. All three of them focused furiously on Camilla who sat meekly on the sofa, looking at her hands.

"When I think about the absolute shame you have brought on our family!" Johannes didn't finish his sentence. "What a god-damn display, in front of that brat they call a Queen."

Camilla was still silent, looking at her hands. Johannes slammed his hand down on the coffee table in front of her. "You have no idea what an embarrassment you are!"

"Oh, she knows." August spoke. He, like their father, rarely shouted. If portraits were to be believed he was almost a complete clone of Otto. His tone now though, was soft. Dangerous. "She knows exactly what she's done."

She fought the urge to let her eyes close as her hands gripped the hem of her dress so tightly her knuckles were white. She could feel the sparks of her magic dancing under her skin, itching to get out, to protect her from whatever her brothers were about to do.

"Well," Johannes screamed. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

She pressed her lips together. She wouldn't speak, wouldn't interact , for fear the seal would break and her magic would hurt everyone in the room if not the castle. She knew what was even more dangerous was the part of her that wanted to lose control. She was so focused on keeping controlled that she couldn't defend herself when Johannes grabbed her by the chin. "Answer me!" He demanded.

In a second, she was across the room, and she knew she was in trouble. Using magic with her brothers was an absolute taboo. She sunk to the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees. Johannes's face turned bright red. "You—"

"Stop," August spoke and Johannes didn't protest though he clearly wanted to. Instead he ripped his cup of tea out of Edith's hand.

August crossed the room and put a hand of Camilla's shoulder. She wanted to move away from his touch. Though he had gotten down to her level, he still seemed so much bigger than her. His voice was still quiet, she was sure Edith and Johannes wouldn't hear him as he whispered, "I know you think you're better than us because of your powers. But don't forget we know what you really are, what you did to your mother."

"Now, for the rest of this trip, you are going to keep your idiot mouth shut, do you understand me?" August whispered in her ear. She didn't move, didn't nod or smile, but he seemed to think that she did indeed understand. He stood and left her in the corner. "Now get out of my sight."

She didn't know she could get up until she was already on her feet. Once she was no longer on the ground it wasn't difficult to make her way to her bedroom. She sat on the plush bed. Finally alone, she let herself release a breath. The urge to scream, break something, destroy, or even hurt someone rose dangerously in her chest. She'd learned to greet this frustration like an old friend.

She held her hands out, as though representing a length. Then she began to speak, "I hate you, you idiots, why are we here if not to amend what Hans did?..." She continued and as she spoke a small dark cloud began to form and swirl between her hands. Tears stung at her eyes and her breathing became ragged but she remained focused on the dark cloud. Between her hands a small storm began to brew. She poured it all into her magic.

It took only a few minutes for the tightness in her chest to subside. Once again she let out a breath, but this time her little storm dissolved along with it. She hated her brothers. She hated how easy it was for them to make her feel like this.

Seeking a distraction, Camillia went to the window and looked out at the beautiful kingdom. She had only been in Arendelle for a matter of hours but she already felt how special it was. Everywhere you looked people were helping each other. Even now she could see a woman handing out bread to the elderly, children greeting each other and playing with a red ball, and a million other acts of kindness.

Arendelle was a good place. She wondered if her family would leave it in the same condition.

Anna had related the tale of the party from the Southern Isles—she needed to think of something else to call them—to Elsa with Kristoff and immediately her sister promised to be in Arendelle as soon as possible. They would face dinner together.

Anna knew she had to look better than her ink-stained wrinkled dress from before. Elsa always looked so elegant in her regalia. Anna wasn't sure what her style was, in fact up until now she'd mostly made due with Elsa's old dress. So she'd sent for Greta, the best dressmaker in Arendelle to see if there was anything she could do to make Anna more queenly. That was why she was currently standing on a small pedestal as about five women measured and pinned a sea-green satin dress together around her.

It wasn't like Hans' actions were a secret in Arendelle, but Anna had never expected the groundswell of support. The jeweler had offered to help her to determine the perfect accessories to wear with the occasion, she even had half of the hairdressers in the kingdom arguing over the perfect way to do her hair. Everyone here was ready to use their talents to make sure she represented a strong and powerful Arendelle.

It was all kind of daunting.

As the team of seamstresses finished up her dress he was shoved into a chair and her hair was pulled and combed in a thousand different directions, braided and pinned. Anna refused to complain, knowing that everyone here was giving up so much just to help her. She'd be touched if all this didn't pile on the pressure to absolutely kill it at the dinner.

Mattias stepped into the room, and she could see his eyes widen as he saw everyone who had come to help. "Uh… Your majesty, can I have a word?"

"One more minute," A hairdresser said, placing one more pin into her hair. "Alright…she's all yours."

Anna stood and stepped out into the hall with her most trusted advisor. Normally she'd be embarrassed to be in her dressing gown but these were her personal chambers, no one she didn't trust would be allowed here. "Hi." She said, letting herself breathe for the first time.

"Seems like everyone is here to support you," He smiled, looking back at the room full of people. His love for Arendelle was clear in his eyes.

For the first time, Anna pushed aside her anxieties and let the love of her kingdom wash over her. The presence of all these people was not pressure, it was family. This was what she loved about her home, everyone worked together to make things better for each other.

In that moment her fear was replaced by determination. She wasn't going to let Hans one and two destroy her home or her family.

"Your Majesty," Mattias brought her focus back. "I just came to check on you…"

"Matthias, I'm okay," Anna smiled, "I'm going to go into this dinner looking amazing, like the Queen I am, and you and Kristoff and Elsa will be there beside me the whole time."

His shoulders slumped in relief, but there was still something on his mind. "I know you will. But I don't know…I thought they came to make amends, but now I feel like we've just let foxes into the hen house."

Anna couldn't help but agree, but that wasn't her role. "We will stay vigilant." She promised, "But why come if they don't want to build bridges? It's not like they brought armies. We can't let Hans ruin the relationship between two nations, or worse, start a war."

"They will not move throughout the castle without our knowledge." Mattias promised. He had never let being a Lieutenant go and was very involved in the castle security. Now Anna was incredibly grateful for that.

"We got this," She reminded him. "All I have to do is get a through dinner and then we can figure out why they're here."

"Can I make a suggestion?" Mattias looked like he was forming a plan, "For now, maybe keep them close. I know it will be…stressful, but allow me to handle the matters of state, amuse your guests with tours and your company. Maybe if you watch close enough they'll let something slip."

Anna nodded, though the idea of spending extended periods of time with the Southern Isles Royals seemed horrible. "We'll do our best. Elsa and I can take different shifts."

Mattias put a hand on her shoulder. "You're going to do great."

"Thanks." She smiled.

A few hours later it was six forty five. Anna took her first real look in the mirror in front of the people who had made all this possible. Before her was not her reflection but a vision in sapphires and emeralds. The sea-green satin was covered with a thin layer of taffeta that had a blue shimmer embroidered in golden thread. She felt a bit like a mermaid, even fancying the scalloped sleeves as part of the ocean look.

Not to be out done, the jeweler had also done well. Rather than fill her bare shoulders with diamonds, she wore just a choker decorated with a large, cold emerald that glittered against her pale skin. He'd also chosen a tiara encrusted with pearls and three tear-drop shaped sapphires. Around it her hair was pinned and piled in intricate coiled braids forming a rose-shape. Pearled pins nestled like dew-drops in her red braids.

"I look…I mean." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad." One of the dressmakers assistants chirped.

"No…" Anna laughed, "This is so beautiful. Thank you so much, all of you!"

Someone began to clap and there was a little round of applause. Anna looked to Kristoff who had been watching her from the door way. How could she do this without him? She put her shoulders back, lifted her skirts and made her way over to the love of her life. "You ready?" She asked, smiling.

"I think I might be under dressed." Kristoff teased.

She took his arm and they made their way to the great hall where dinner would be served.

They were the last ones to enter, but everyone else was standing, and only sat when Anna did. Normally she didn't insist on formalities, but she refused to let anyone question her here. She took her place at the head of the table, and didn't wince as everyone else pulled out their chair and sat down, causing an annoying screech.

She sat at the head of the table, on her right was Kristoff and a place for Elsa, who had not arrived yet. Next to Kristoff was Princess Rapunzel from Corona and beside her was Prince Eric who was telling Princess Camilla across from him about his most recent marine voyage.

Next to well Elsa was supposed to sit was Kit, another prince (like Eric) who seemed to be here looking for a bride of his own. He was looking quite annoyed that Camilla was nodding politely to what Eric said. Beside her was her brother, Johannes, and beside him was August. Anna already felt the Princes were too close for comfort.

"You look lovely." Princess Rapunzel said as the servers brough out the first course, a split pea soup that was Queen Idunna's favorite thing to eat.

"Thank you." Anna smiled, she loved the Coronian Princess the more she got to know her. Even when the castle was closed to the outside world they had heard the tale of the lost princess's return. The fact that she'd even married a thief made Anna more confident about her upcoming marriage. "Maybe I'm a bit over dressed."

Rapunzel chuckled, "My mother always says a queen can't be over dressed."

Anna was about to say something but someone August beat her to it. "Your mother sounds like a wise woman." He smirked, looking at Anna, "But my father says power doesn't have to declare itself with finery."

_Power doesn't…what? _Anna wanted to roll her eyes.

"I'm sure your father thinks a lot about power." Kristoff scoffed. Anna wasn't sure if she was annoyed at him for being so pointed or proud that he was sticking up for her.

"Well I think you look beautiful, like a mermaid!" Camilla, who was several seats down, piped up. Anna wasn't sure where she was going with this until she turned back to Prince Eric, "I've always wondered, your majesty, are mermaids real? Perhaps you've seen one in your journeys."

Prince Eric had clearly been invited into his element. He began to tell a story about his first time at sea when he swore he'd seen a beautiful maiden in the sea. His tale got them to the entrée, Anna's favorite meal, Flæskesteg, sliced thin and served with red cabbage, golden crisp potatoes, and gravy. Once again she felt the support from the kitchen.

By this point Kit was also trying to impress Camilla with tales of his own exploits. She listened politely, nodding, and asking the right questions, but Anna noticed a clear façade of interest. If Prince Eric and his rival were trying to find a bride here it was clear Camilla was just humoring them.

Anna looked at the clock, wondering where Elsa was. During the contest to win Camilla's heart August focused on Anna and Kristoff. He said nothing but the silent way he seemed to be watching their actions, the way she caught him staring at her, the fact that he was so clearly uninterested in the main conversation, worried her. Why was he trying to sum her up? Was he waiting for her to make a big mistake?

She decided

As guests began to finish the doors burst open. There was a gust of cold wind and in walked Elsa. She wore her usual white outfit, glittering in crystals that made her look like an icicle. Both Prince Eric and Kit stopped talking, their eyes widening as they took in the former Queen of Arendelle.

It was Camilla Anna was worried about, Her mouth was open, her eyes were hungry. She looked at Elsa like a cat looked at a mouse. What did she want? Why was she so obsessed with Elsa?

"Sorry I'm late," Elsa said as she took her place right next to August. She sat down easily and Anna half expected her to perch on a chair. "Elemental horse spirits can be _so _temperamental." She winked at Anna. Thank goodness Elsa knew how to make an entrance.

"Your…" August paused, "Actually, I confess I'm not sure how to address a _former_ queen."

If Elsa had been phased by the obvious insult, she didn't show it, "Elsa is fine."

"Elsa." August, who usually hid behind inflections in someone's usual title, spoke coolly. "I must confess, we were worried after hearing of your abdication. Are you quite well?"

Elsa reached for her goblet and took a sip, "Oh yes, quite well. I just felt that my place keeping the elements of magic in balance was where I belonged. And that my sister," She turned back to Anna, "Was so clearly born to be queen."

"Actually _you_ were born to be Queen," Johannes said, under his breath, though even Anna could hear it where she sat.

As is to save everyone from the awkwardness of the moment, the staff came out with desert, kiksekage with mint cookies between layers of chocolate. This was Elsa's favorite. All three Queens of Arendelle had been represented in this dinner, in what seemed to be the chef's secret message of support to Anna.

Rapunzel spoke first, "You know what's crazy? This is the first time I haven't been the most magical princess at a table." She laughed.

Both Anna and Elsa turned to Rapunzel, if they had been looking at August or Johannes they'd see they were not alone in their interest. Anna was the first to speak, "I thought Elsa was the only magical princess!" She paused, "Well…before we met Camilla. And now there's three!"

Rapunzel held up her hands, "Formerly magical, and it was nothing like you two." She chuckled. "I wasn't born with magic, well I guess technically I was born with it, but it doesn't come from me. My powers came from a magical flower."

The faces at the table showed that they still had questions. Rapunzel pushed a lock of brown hair behind her ear. "Er…well it's kind of a long story." She looked between Elsa and Anna and relented. "Alright well…I guess the short version is when my mother was pregnant she got sick so my father's men searched the kingdom and they found a magical flower with healing powers and when I was born I had the powers of the flower. Then this old witch that was using the flower to stay young kidnapped me and she trapped me in a tower and pretended to be my mother. Meanwhile she abandoned her own daughter who would become my best friend, but that's kind of another story. My husband, Eugene was a thief at the time and tried to hide in my tower so I hit him with a frying pan. I forced him to be my guide to see the floating lanterns that were actually for me and that's why they happened on my birthday. We went into the kingdom, we saw the lanterns. My witch-mother captured Eugene, kidnapped me again, I realized I was the lost princess. We had to fight my witch-mother and then I went back to Corona." She took a very deep breath there. "Everything was good for a while but then these black rocks started appearing and my hair grew again. So Eugene and my best friend, Cassandra, and I went to find the Moonstone which was the source of the rocks. Cassandra took the moonstone, we got into a fight, we let out an evil demon spirit. Cassandra and I made up and we used our combined powers to destroy the evil spirit. Then the sun drop and moon stone combined leaving us both powerless and creating the light-stone which is now safe in Corona."

Rapunzel had only been talking for about five minutes, Anna was sure she hadn't caught everything perfectly. For a moment the silence hung in the air for a heavy moment. From the end of the table Eugene, her husband, said, "She's leaving a lot out if you can believe it."

"I can't believe it." Camilla said almost reverently. Her eyes were huge, she was clearly enamored with the tale Rapunzel had spun, "That's amazing! You escaped the witch, you saved your friend!"

"There was a lot of stuff that happened in between." Rapunzel admitted.

"And I thought our family had been through a lot." Elsa chuckled. "That is truly an adventure."

"Well, you know, magic will do that." Rapunzel chuckled too, just a little awkwardly.

Anna stood up suddenly, "Well, I think that's enough for one day," Everyone else stood, Kristoff gave her a concerned look. "But it's time for us all to retire."

"Of course, Your Majesty." August said, nodding. He looked again between the sisters. "We shall return to our rooms."

Everyone turned to go, but Camilla walked straight towards Elsa. For a moment Anna wanted to get between them, protect her sister from the strange Princess, but she stayed still.

"Prin—Qu—er…Elsa." She said quietly, "I would love to talk to you, if you don't mind."

"I—" Elsa was clearly taken aback. She looked to Anna for a cue as to what to do. Then she looked back at Camilla, "I'd love to speak."

Camilla took one of her hands in hers, "Oh wonderful! I have so many questions for you!"

Anna wanted to say something, find a way to keep her sister from this obvious threat. But she couldn't think of a good reason to stop Elsa. She looked to Camilla's brothers. August was impossible to read, he clearly didn't want to let anything slip. Luckily Johannes wasn't quite as difficult to figure out. His face was beet red and he looked like he was about to start shouting then and there. Even Edith looked angry, her nose in the air as always, but her eyes were definitely looking down at Camilla.

"I'll catch up with you later," Elsa promised Anna.

"Don't stay up too late." Anna said, quietly, wishing she could tell Elsa to drop this conniving princess and come with her. She knew Elsa's play. Camilla would try to get some information out of her and Elsa would redirect everything. Maybe she could even determine the motives of Camilla's family.

The parties split, and the two magical princesses went off together into the castle gardens.

Elsa wasn't sure what to make of the princess from the Southern Isles. It only took a few moments for them to be on first name terms. Camilla refused to be called "princess" or "your highness." She confessed to a dislike of titles. Elsa knew immediately that this girl was a magic user. She wasn't sure how because she'd never really met one before, but there was a strange energy emanating from her, like static in the air. She was magical and powerful. Anna seemed especially distrustful of Camilla and with all that power who knew what she was capable of? Elsa would have to keep her eyes focused.

As they walked through the high-ceilinged halls of Arendelle Castle, Camilla said nothing. She didn't _seem _malicious, though she kept looking at her shoes. Was she preparing for an attack? Elsa was sure she could freeze her before she attacked. But then, as they stepped out onto a balcony, she spoke.

"I hope this isn't too forward but I've been thinking a lot of you're powers." She now looked at Elsa with her large brown eyes.

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "In what way?" Was this an intimidation tactic.

"I think you may have an affinity for each element like me. Your powers incorporate water, obviously, air to create wind and storms, fire because you control the temperature, and earth because ice itself is of two elements." She paused thoughtfully. "With enough study you could easily learn to control these elements and maybe even manipulate ether as well."

Elsa forgot that Camilla was her enemy for a moment. "Wait what—you think I could control the other elements?"

"Well sure, I don't see any real limits to your abilities. I mean you froze the fjord completely. It wasn't just Arendelle, we got Snow in the Southern Isles and I heard there was snow in Corona too." There was no judgment in her voice. Actually, she sounded excited by the prospects. "It's more a matter of focus. Maybe you could even control ether as well. It is said to form however a person sees it."

"Ether?" Elsa had heard her mention it twice now.

"It's sometimes called spirit," Camilla explained, "It's basically magic itself." She held out her hand and a small ball of black smoke formed. There was a crackle as the smoke burst into flame. The flames began to grow blue, even becoming heavier until it was a floating ball of water. In the center of the water a dark spot began to grow until the ball became a solid rock, Slowly the rock broke apart into a little whirl-wind. The stones disappeared and Camilla pushed the now invisible ball towards Elsa. She felt the brush of a breeze against her face and smiled.

"That's amazing!" She completely forgot everything except for the magic. Camilla looked down and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"It's really just a parlor trick." Camilla admitted. She bit her bottom lip and looked at Elsa. Camilla was at least a head shorter than Elsa, The way she looked n ow, her eyes caught the light. "There's this kingdom…It's about halfway between here and Arendelle. There's a queen there who can also manipulate magic. When my family found out about my powers, they sent me to learn from her."

"There are more magic users in the world than I thought." Elsa said, almost reverently. "What Kingdom? What is her name?"

"She actually isn't…uh queen anymore." Camilla looked away, "She was the queen before Snow White."

Elsa gasped, "The evil queen was your teacher?" She took a step back. Only a few years ago, Snow White and Prince Florian had deposed the Evil Queen Grimhilde who had kept her claim to power despite not being the next in line for the throne after the death of the king.

"Grimhilde wasn't…" Camilla closed her eyes, "I don't want to tell someone else's secrets, but I think this is an important story." She looked at Elsa, "I need to ask that you keep this between us."

Elsa's eyebrows came together, "Alright." She doubted that anything Camilla said could convince her of the Queen's innocence. And Camilla was guilty by association twice now.

"I was sent to Grimhilde when I was five," She explained, "At that time the King was still alive. Everyone says now she tricked him, but really he had been married before for political reasons, he chose her because he loved her, despite the fact that she was only a member of the gentry. She wasn't like other Queens, she believed in hard work, and she was well versed in magic. The servants hated how she made Snow white and I clean our own rooms and dress ourselves." Camilla paused here, obviously full of fond memories. "She wasn't an elemental herself—er, she didn't have her own powers, but she had studied magic for several years and was really the expert on the subject." Here Camilla turned and looked out at the town of Arendelle, "Grimhilde taught me how to control my powers through different exercises…I was so lost, she helped me to understand what and who I was."

Elsa tried to remember they were talking about the Evil Queen. There was so much love in Camilla's voice. She put a hand on her shoulder, "It sounds like she was very kind to you."

"She was…at first. You see, she had studied magic because she wanted to find magical solutions to medical problems. She wanted to be a healer, basically. She was very good at making potions and she could make a potion for everything. I remember once I took one to turn my hair pink and it lasted for weeks." She laughed, then frowned, "But…then the king got sick. She tried everything, but she couldn't save him. At the time she was within her rights to be regent, though no one liked her as an heir. Snow is younger than me, she was only eight! She wasn't ready to become queen." Camilla sighed, "But…of course…Grimhilde was devastated. She kept saying that if she'd just found the right potion…" She took in a ragged breath, clearly trying to maintain her composure. "She started taking potions for…everything. They all had negative effects. The potion that turned my hair pink, it was actually a cure for my cold, and it was a success. It was great that it did something so harmless instead of making me lose my voice or sight or shiver for a few weeks instead."

"So there was a price for the potions," Elsa clarified, frowning.

"Exactly," Camilla continued, "The price for beauty? Vanity. The price of a good night's sleep? A cold heart. She became so numb to everything. I stayed because I wanted to help but…she wasn't the same person. But when she threatened Snow…I left. I couldn't stay after that."

Elsa's frown deepened. "So you're saying everything she did…was because of magic?"

"Yes…I gave Snow a protection charm before I left, I think that was how she was able to stay safe in the woods until Florian found her." Camilla sighed, "I don't condone what Grimhilde did, but she wasn't in her right mind. That's not the person I choose to remember."

Elsa let out a breath, "Alright, I can understand that."

"I didn't tell you this to save her reputation though," Camilla explained, "Magic has effects on us, to our very cores. You and I are elementals, or some call us mages. We are magical beings. But we have to be careful about how we use that magic. Cruelty, protecting ourselves, hurting people, obviously those things are bad to do on any level, but if we do that with magic…it could destroy us. And that's why it's important to stay in control."

Elsa rolled her eyes, "Listen I've heard conceal don't feel enough times to know that's—"

"No," Camilla held her hands up, "That's not the right path either, in fact all that magic going unused! You're lucky you never developed any illnesses. What I'm talking about is precision. You have to practice, learn how to use your powers in a safe way for everyone."

Elsa frowned. She'd thought she'd been doing that already, but looking back at her training in Ahtohallan, it was mostly about pushing her limits, not trying to find new skills or disciplining what she already knew. "Well that's a lovely thought, but I don't have any queens lying around do teach me magic."

"I mean…" Camilla mumbled something under her breath.

"I'm sorry what?" Elsa asked, leaning forward.

"I mean mmm teach mmm." Elsa frowned again. Camilla finally spoke clearly, "I mean…if you were interested…I could…maybe…if you wanted….I could teach you…only—if you wanted."

"If I want to?" Elsa couldn't resist the barb, a smile coming to her face. Anna had been so suspicious of Camilla, but Elsa couldn't sense a single bit of Malice in her. It wasn't like the voice from Ahtohallan, but there was something about her.

Camilla's face turned bright red and she looked away. "I feel so silly saying it, I mean you're obviously so advanced already."

"But not in the same ways," Elsa admitted, she had none of the vocabulary that Camilla did. All of her knowledge was instinctive, and Ahtohallan had seemed to want to train her in just one element."

"Maybe," Camilla admitted, "But you're so…I mean, I know I probably shouldn't bring him up, but when my brother told me about you I was pretty enamored. I even stowed away on this trip to meet you."

"You—what?" Elsa raised her eyebrows, "You mean August didn't want you to come?"

"Are you kidding?" Camilla laughed, "If he had his way I'd be locked in the basement."

Elsa had long suspected that not all of Hans's siblings were as evil as he was. This information sealed her opinion of Camilla. She wasn't here to hurt Arendelle or Elsa. She was just lonely and looking for a friend who understood her.

"Would you be willing to come back with me to the enchanted forest?" Elsa asked.

Camilla's eyes widened. "R-really?"

Elsa nodded, "It's safer to practice magic there, the elements keep my powers from getting out of control. And…well I would like to take your up on your offer."

Camilla looked like it was Christmas and her birthday all wrapped into one, She took both Elsa's hands in hers. Her touch was almost electric to Elsa, and for a moment she wasn't sure whose power was whose. "I would _love _to come!"

Elsa clasped her hands for a few moments longer. Looking into Camilla's dark eyes, she fancied she could see sparks of light. It occurred to Elsa for the first time how beautiful she was, and her heart skipped a beat. She eventually released her and looked away, "We can leave tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning." Camilla agreed. "Oh…uh…Elsa…before you go."

Elsa hadn't turned to go but it was getting late, "Yes?" She said, not sure why her name sounded better when Camilla said it.

"I don't know why my brother is here, but it's not to make peace with Arendelle." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Tell Anna to hold onto her crown."


End file.
